{"id":62855,"date":"2012-04-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-04-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockcontent.com\/blog\/10-things-you-can-learn-from-the-new-york-times-data-visualizations\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T16:17:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T19:17:43","slug":"10-things-you-can-learn-from-the-new-york-times-data-visualizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pingback.com\/en\/resources\/10-things-you-can-learn-from-the-new-york-times-data-visualizations\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things You Can Learn From the New York Times\u2019 Data Visualizations"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Malofiej 20 awards<\/a>, known as the\u00a0Pulitzers of the infographics world, recognize the finest infographics published across the globe. This year, more than 1,500 print and online submissions competed for the prestigious awards. National Geographic Magazine, which won best print map and two gold awards, and Internet Group do Brasil\u00a0iG (gold) were notable achievements. However, as in previous years, the portfolio of graphics from the New York Times dominated the event, winning six gold medals (four print, two online), the best online map and both the \u2018Best in Show\u2019 awards for print and online submissions. So what are the secrets to the New York Times\u2019<\/em> continued success? Here are 10 key characteristics that, when brought together in a synthesised design process, helps to separate their work from the rest. <\/p>\n

1. Clarity of context and purpose<\/h2>\n

Establishing the goal of a visualization or infographic is the first consideration in its development, before any creative process has commenced. Is it to enable interaction and personal discovery of data? Is it to convey a story or enhance a specific editorial perspective? Will it be a static, an interactive or even a video? All these key design decisions will be based on the clarity of concept at this initial stage of the process and this is one area in which the New York Times<\/em> excels. \"\"<\/a> source<\/a> <\/p>\n

2. Respect for the reader<\/h2>\n

The overriding aim of a visualization or infographic should be to make a subject accessible. It is more about delivering clarity than it is about achieving simplicity. You are not looking to dilute a subject\u2019s complexity, just make it more digestible through elegant representation. The immediacy of interpretation is not necessarily an important factor with all visual designs, as some subjects do require a little while to understand. That\u2019s not a problem, so long as the effort put in by the reader is rewarded with the insight derived as a result. The New York Times<\/em> trusts its readers to have the patience, maturity and the motivation to treasure the task of reading and learning from a graphic and this, in turn, enhances the quality of their design decisions. \"\"<\/a> source<\/a> <\/p>\n

3. Editorial rigor and integration<\/h2>\n

The New York Times graphics editors are seamlessly integrated into the editorial rhythm of the paper\u2019s journalism cycle. Rather than graphics being viewed as an after-thought or novelty visual accompaniment to a written piece, many are elevated to become the central artefact of a story. <\/p>\n

4. Clarity of questions<\/h2>\n

The strong journalistic culture of the graphics designers leads to exceptional clarity about the questions each visual piece is answering and the stories they are trying to portray. The consequence is that the choice of visual representation, whether it is an illustration, a set of visualization elements or a photographic composition, is effectively deployed and perfectly aligned to the questions they are answering. \"\"<\/a> source<\/a> <\/p>\n

5. Data research and preparation<\/h2>\n

One of the most important messages that came across from the New York Times speakers at Malofiej was the amount of preparation and research that goes into the construction of their graphics. Whether it is the long-term development of programming libraries that will ultimately serve as the basis of successive mapping projects, or their proximity and relationship with other departments to obtain access to rich and deep data resources, the rigor of their work is clear for all to see. <\/p>\n

6. Visual restraint<\/h2>\n

Common to all New York Times\u2019 pieces is the consistent and identifiable visual identity that has been carefully crafted over a number of years and which leads to real visual elegance. The deployment of color in particular is immediately recognizable. It is done so sparingly, used in such subtle doses just to highlight, distinguish or encode data without any sense of over decoration. While some may contest that their work is too sober, this is more a reflection of them not needing to overtly attract readers\u2019 attention in the same way many other organizations or subjects do. \"\"<\/a> source<\/a> <\/p>\n

Another thing that\u2019s easy to overlook is just how much the team experiments behind the scenes. There\u2019s this idea that what you see is always the first draft, but honestly, it\u2019s not unusual for some graphics to go through plenty of iterations before anything gets near publication. They\u2019ll test multiple layouts, tweak data angles, and even debate color palettes more than you might expect for something as simple as a census map or a chart about subway delays. The version that lands in your Sunday paper? That\u2019s the survivor of a battle of tiny but important editorial decisions, most of which, to be honest, you\u2019ll never see. But it\u2019s that invisible work that lets the finished product feel so clear and intentional.<\/p>\n

Speaking of intention, the cross-talk between graphics editors and journalists is another factor you can\u2019t really fake. It\u2019s not just a hand-off process; sometimes the germ of the story comes directly from someone noodling in the graphics department, poking at data until patterns jump out. That feedback loop, where writers and designers riff on each other\u2019s ideas, adds layers that aren\u2019t always obvious to the casual reader. You get graphics that not only look good but actually move the story forward, asking new questions or pulling readers a little deeper into the subject matter. It\u2019s collaborative in the best and most frustrating sense\u2014sometimes messy and back-and-forth, but that\u2019s just how the best stuff gets made.<\/p>\n

7. Layout and placement<\/h2>\n

Trying to secure prime \u2018real estate\u2019 page space across a newspaper like the New York Times<\/em> would seem as difficult a challenge as it is to secure land on Manhattan itself. However, there is a constant boldness and ambition about the positions and dimensions in which graphics appear in the print edition. Whether it is full columns, double page spreads or dramatic diagonals, the Times ensures each graphic has the perfect stage to amplify the impact of the visual\u2019s relationship with an article. <\/p>\n

8. Diversity of techniques<\/h2>\n

While there is evidence of a successful and consistent formula being applied to the preparation, editorial approach and visual identity behind each New York Times graphic, the variety of techniques within their portfolio shows immense flexibility and versatility. Very rarely do you see the same representation repeated. Each piece is carefully constructed and deliberately designed to specifically answer the key questions or convey the important stories they are wishing to surface. \"\"<\/a> source<\/a> <\/p>\n

9. Technical Execution<\/h2>\n

Whether it is a 3D illustration, a bubble chart or an interactive map, the New York Times<\/em> graphics team always demonstrates an outstanding technical capability. <\/p>\n

10. Annotation<\/h2>\n

Amanda Cox, the New York Times<\/em> graphics editor, considers the annotation layer of their graphics to be \u201cthe most important thing we do.\u201d Through the careful use of labels, introductions, explanatory text and captions, the New York Times\u2019<\/em> designers take the responsibility to assist a reader in understanding the context of a graphic and interpretation of its key messages. \"\"<\/a> You can see many examples of the New York Times\u2019 graphic output through the years on the following sites: <\/p>\n